Airplane helicopter control



March 22, 1927.

F. o. ELLERMAN s smaa-sheet 1 March 22,1927. V 1,622,138v

F. o. ELLl-:RMAN

AIRPLANE HELICOPTER CONTROL Filed Sept. 12. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March22 1927.

F. o. lEL'LERwbm AIRPLANE HELICOPTER CONTROL Filed Sept. lg. 192.2 3Shena-Sheet 3 WP/W/ Minus." u

a-Hciucii Patented Mar., 22, 1927.

EMNE 0. ELLEBMAN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

AIRPLANE HELICOPTER CONTROL.

`Application filed September 12, 1922. Serial No. 587,709.

This invention relates in general to heavier-than-air flying machinesand more particularly to a machine of this nature capable of-verticalfiight while operating as 5 a helicopter and also capable of forwardflight with the propeller blades stopped and operating as liftingplanes.

The object of this invention is to provide a practical control devicefor the operator to permit the ready adjustment of the blades of thepropellers and the complete control of the device. With the foregoingand other objects in view which will appear as the description of thepreferred embodiment of my invention proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination of parts and details hereinafti' claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a viewin perspective of the helicopter-airplane, showing theaircraft in its transformed arrangement as an airplane.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the method of driving the liftingpropellers.

Fig. 3 is a side elevat'ionL of the clutch control lever taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the control device for Controlling theoperation of the propellers.

F igs. 5, 6 and 7 aie detail sectional views of lifting propellersupports and control mechanism.

Figs. 5a, 6a and 7 a are detail views show- Ving the relative positionsof the propeller blades of a lifting propeller, Figure 5a showing bothblades at an appreciable angle of incidence to the line of flight, Fig.6 showing the blades as adjusted for use as a helicopterand Fig. Tfishowing one blade tilted for lateral stabilizing.

In the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorrespondiug parts, 1 designates the fuselage at the front of which isa propeller 2 which is preferably of the variable pitch type. At eachside of the fuselage is a suitable supporting truss upon which aremounted the housings 3 which enclose the lifting propeller support andcontrol mechanisin for the main lifting and supporting blades 4, 5, 6and 7. These propeller blades are of considerable length and width asshown and are adapted to r0- tate around vertical axes to provide alifting means for the airplane while ascending or descending. After themachine has ascen'ded to the Idesired height the front tractor propelleris adjusted to drive the machine forward, and the blades of the liftmgpropeller stopped and held stationary and the angle of incidenceadjusted so that the blades of the lifting propeller will function asordinai'y lifting planes and support the machine in its forward flight.I

The means for driving and operating the blades 6, 7 are shown in Figs.5, 6 andi7 in wliich 8 designates the fixedl supporting shell, suitablymounted in the casings 3.

At its upper end the shell 8 freely carries the rotatable support 9 inwhich are revolublyimounted the blades 6 and 7 The blades are adjustedandheld at the desired angle of incidence by links 10, 11, which arepivotally attached to the blades at one end and at the other end aresuitably fastened to arms 12, 13. These arms rotate with the propellerblades, suitable ball bearings being provided between the arms and therods 14, 15. It will be seen that as the rods 14, 15 are raised orlowered, the pitch of the blades 6, 7 will be adjusted while permittingthe free rotation of the blades. Near the lower end of the rod 14 is amale screw thread 16 engaging a similar female thread in the part 8. Therod 15 is provided with a thread 17 engaging a female thread in member14. The lower end of rod 15 is provided with a square shank 18 adaptedfor sliding in a square hole in sprocket 19 so that as sprocket 19 isrotated the rod 15 is turned and screw thread 17 causes it to moveupward to raise the arm 13 soas to tilt the blade 7. Sprocket 20 whichis slidaibly mounted `on rod 14 but which rotates therewith by means ofa suitable pin and slot arrangement is adapted to rotate rod 14 tochange the angle of attack of the blade (i.

The propeller is rotated by gear 21 which is driven hy the inotor aswill be later set forth. Rotatably mounted on shell 8 is a threadedmember 22 rotated by sprocket 23 for vertically moving the member 24which is keyed to shell 8 so that it can slide vertically thereon. Asthe member 24 is inov-ed vertically the clutch face 26 which is alsokeyed to shell 8 is forced un by the spring 25, to engage with clutchface 27' which rotates with gear 21 and propeller support 9. A brakingeflect is thus produced tending to stop the rotation of the propeller.blades, and if the motor has been disconnected the propeller will beslowed down.

permitting the projections 27 28 to enter the corresponding depressions29, 30 in the upper clutch member to stop the rotation of the propellerand hold it in the position'as shown in Figure 1. The projections 27, 28are of different shapes so that the propeller when locked is always inthe same position. At the rear of the machine are provided two smallerlifting propellers having blades 4', 5', 6', and 7 the propellers beingmounted one at each side of the fuselage upon a suitable supportingtruss. It will be under.- stood that the means for supporting, drivingand operating the two front and two rear propellers is exactly the same.

Referring now to Fig. 2 the motor 31 is connected through suitableclutch members 32, 33, to bevel gear 34 driving bevel gears 35,connected to driving shafts 36, in which are splined shafts 37 whichdrive gears 38 at their outer ends. Suitable universal joints 39 and 40are provided to care for any flexing which may be caused by the upwardpull at the outer ends due to the propeller lift. Each gear 38 isadapted to engage and drive the corresponding gear 21 of the propellers.The bevel gear 34 also drives the rear propellers through shaft 41,universal joints 42, gear 43, gears 44 and shafts 45.

Mounted transversely of the fuselage in suitable bearings is a shaft 46operated by hand lever 47 and provided with operating levers 48 at eachend, which are connected to the corresponding sprocket 23 by wires 49and suitable sprocket chains. Connected to lever 47 is rod 50 whichoperates the clutch 32, 33, to disconnect same when the lever 47 ispushed forward, the movement of the lever 47 at the same time turningthe sprocket 23 so as to lock the propellers. The sprocket 23 of therear propellers is operated lsimultaneously with sprocket 23 of thefront propellers by cables extending rearwardly from levers 48.

The propellers are controlled by a hand lever 51 mounted on shaft 52which is rotatably held in suitable bearings. The lever 51 is alsoadapted to rotate sleeve 53 through looking pin 54 which engages in anotch in a flange 55 at the end of the sleeve 53.` It will be understoodthat the sleeve 53 is freely rotated on shaft. 52 but prevented fromendwise movement. VVhen the lever V51 is pulled rearwardly, it pivotsabout point 56 to push on rod 57 to operate shaft 58 and cables 19connected to sprocket 19 of the rear propellers by suitable sprocketchains. The shaft 52 carries an arm 59 connected to cables 19' whichoperate sprocket 19-of the front propellers. Shaft 53 carries an arm 60connected to cables 20', and cables 20" as shown, cables 20' operatingsprocket 20 of the front propellers and cables 20" operating sprocket 20of the rear propellers. 61 designates an operating lever on shaft 46adapted to enter a notch in the bottom of VtoV operate cables 19' whensleeve 53 is locked.

'The operation of my device is as follows:

When itis desired to ascend vertically, the motor is set in operationand lever 47 is pulled back to connect the motor to the propellers. Thelooking devices 27, 28, 29, 30 and the locking clutches 26 are, by thesame movement disconnected, permitting rotation of the propellers. Thesamemovement also pulls down and releases the locking pin 64 allowingmovement of the control lever 51. The propellers at this time are all attheir normal flying an le as shown in Figs. 5 and 53, having a fewdegrees positive angle of incidence. The hand lever 51 is now operatedlaterally and rearwardly to operate arms 59 and 60 and shaft 58 so as tomove all the propellers to the position as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 6ain which the opposing blades of each propeller are given the same butopposite angles of incidence somewhat greater than the normal fiyingangle. This is accomplished by having theV sprocket 20 of largersize-than the sprocket 19 so that the blade -7 in Fig. 5 is moved to agreater extent than blade 6, and in the opposite direction. Bothsorockets 19 and 20 rotate in the same direction raising both rods 14and 15 but as the rods 10 and 11 are connected to opposite sides of theblades, the blades will be rocked in reverse directions.

The propeller blades of each rear propeller are operated to the same butopposite pitch for acting as helicopter propellers by rearward movementof lever 51 as it is moved laterally. When the desired height has beenreached the lever 51 is again brought lto an upright position,placingthe propellers at their flying angle of 'a few degrees positiveangle of incidence, and 12 hand lever 47 moved forward to disconnect thepropellers from the motor and to ston them in' the desired position asshown in Fig. 5. The forward movement of lever 47 also locks the shaft53 by the looking pin 64. It Will be seen that lever 47 cannot be ushedforward until the lever 51 is uprigfit and the lower notch in flange 55is aligned with the looking pin 64.

The front tractor propeller 2 is now 13 ,I images brought into action bysuitably adjusting the pitch of the blades, or the front tractorpropeller may be thrown in pitch'before stopping the liftingpropellers-'by a suit- 'able lever (not shown). When -the machine I lersso that the outer propelleron the right of the machine has its angle ofincidence' increased 'while' the angle of incidence of the left outerblade is decreased and vice versa, in the same manner as' the operationof Ithe ordinary aileron control.

When it is desired to ascend or descend the lever 51 is moved forwardlyor rear- Wardly to operate cables 19" thus moving the outer-blades ofthe rear propellers in the same direction to simultaneously increase ordecreas'e their angleof incidence in the llsame manner as the operatlonof the.ord1- nary norizontal control. The looking pin 54 may remain'engaged with the slot -in flange while the lever 51 is 'moved forwardlyand rearwardly. It will be understood that the cables 19', 20', 19" and20''V are so connected to the sprockets which they operate that thelever 51 has the same move- -ments 'laterally and fore and aft as theordinary joy stick. For steering in'a horizontal plane an ordinaryvertical rudder is provided which may be operated by the customary footbar (not shown).

It Will be understood that my invention is 'capable of variation andmodification without departing from the spirit of the invention. Itherefore dol not Wisli to he limited to the precise details ofConstruction :et forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand n'iodifications as come within the. scope of the appended claims.

'1. In a flying machine, in combination, a variable pitch propellerhaving blades rotatably supported in -a rotating part, means for drivingsaid rotating part to rotate the propeller, means for stopping saidrotating part in a predetermined position, a 'rod and 'a sleevecoaxially located extending through said rotating part, screw threads onsaid rod engagingfscrew threads on said sleeve, screw threads'on saidsleeve engaginga fixed part of the flying machine, means for connectingthe rod to one blade of the propeller, means for connecting the sleeveto the 'other blade, and means for turnlng the rod and sleeve to causeendwise movement thereof wheref age by the anle of incidence of 'thepropeller blades is a justed.

2. In a flying machine, in combination, a i

fuselage, a variable pitch liftingl propeller at each side of thefuselage, mec anism for changing the pith of each api'opeller blade, a,hand lever within said fuselage, a shaft supporting said hand lever,said-Shaft being i connected'to the mechanism for one blade at each sideof the fuselage, a sleeve mounted 'on said sha'ft and connected to themechanism for the other blade at each side of the fuselage, and meansfor operably connecting and disconnecting the hand lever an'd sleevewhereby lateral inovements Vof the shaft' and sleeve togethersimultaneously changes the pitch of all of' the blades' and movement ofthe shaft alone changes the pitch of one blade at each side of the fuse--while the remaining blade remains fixed- 1 3. Ina flying machine, incombination, a

fuselage, an adjustable pitch propeller at I each side of the fusela e,mechanism for each blade of. the prope lers for adjusting thepitch ofthe blades, a single hand lever connected to one blade on each side ofthe fuselage. to adjust the blades connectedthereto in op ositedirections, and additional means a apted to be connected to said handlever when des'ired to simultaneously adjust the pitch of the remainingblades.l

4 In a flying machine as set forth in claim 3, means for simultaneouslstopping said propellers in predetermine positions. 5. In a flyingmachine, in combination, a fuselage an adjustable pitch propeller ateach side of the fuselage, mechanism for each blade of the propellerslfor adjusting the pitch of the blades, a single hand lever connected-to one bladeon each side of the fuselage to adjust the blades connectedthereto in o posite directions, additional' Jneans adapte to beconnected to said hand lever when dcsired to simultaneously adjust thepitch of the remaining blades, means for simultaneously stopping saidpropellers inf 6. In a flying machine as set forth in of the rear of themachine, and mechanism for adjusting the pitch of said auxiliarypropellers.

In testimony whereof I afiix my Signature.

'FRA'NK o. :ELLERMAR` claim 3, an auxlliarypropeller at each side 'n

